Prayers for Kyushu

As you all know, there was a huge earthquake centered in Kumamoto, which is in southern Japan on the island of Kyushu. Devastating. I know Connie and Jackie live in Kyushu. I am not sure who else. I am praying for them down there.

It happened, I guess, on Thursday night (Japan time). I was in bed, and my husband came to go to sleep and said there had been a large earthquake. I was only half asleep, so when I got up the next morning I was shocked. I remembered him saying something about an earthquake, but honestly….earthquakes happen frequently Japan and (normally) they are not a big deal. Nobody injured. Of course this one is different, and now (as I write this on Friday morning) the death toll is rising. My husband said that the area had not been hit by an earthquake in such a long time, and therefore many houses and buildings were not up to safety standards. So anyway, I send out my prayers to people of the region.

My son glanced at the TV on Friday morning and said, “71o people killed!”

My husband sighed and said, “Look closer! Read carefully.” When this picture of the TV screen was taken, ten people had been killed.

The top line says:

Kumamoto de shindo 7 10 nin shibou

In Kumamoto Magnitude 7 10 people killed

震度=shindo=seismic level (magnitude)

死亡=shibou=death

Hopefully, this will help you figure out your TV screen in the event of a future earthquake.

Update: We woke up this morning (Saturday.) There was an even larger earthquake in that region at midnight. Poor people. I am thinking of you all there.